by Gina Drayer
And as if the situation with Jason wasn’t hard enough, the next morning, she had to listen to her mother try to talk her into finding a new job. That was new. Usually, her mother’s lectures were focused on her terminally single state. So it was a welcome, if slightly annoying, change. If her mother knew about her history with Jason, she would probably be pushing for Kira to stay.
But was a new job even an option? Sure, her diploma was just collecting dust hanging in her office at Millennial Marketing. While yes, the snub hurt, she couldn’t imagine working anywhere else.
And if they thought Jason was a better fit for the job than her, then so be it. She’d just take Peter’s advice and pass off all the extra stuff she’d been doing to her new boss. She could go back to running just the office instead of the entire business.
Jason could sink or swim on his own merit.
And there wouldn’t be any more kisses, or near kisses. It didn’t matter how much she wanted to know if those dreams she had about his the feel of his lips on hers were anywhere close to the real thing.
Jason stared at the blinking red light and wondered for the millionth time how he’d managed to be bested by a fucking coffeepot.
He knew how to make coffee. He wasn’t an idiot. He’d done it more times than he could count. But this fucking coffeepot in this goddamn office seemed determined to prove him wrong.
He’d poured in the water and scooped the coffee into a filter, but nothing had happened. Just a click-click-click of something moving around inside. He stared at it, tapping his foot. No water had dripped into the pot below.
Was it on?
He felt around the bottom, feeling the heat. The burner was definitely on. Maybe it needed more water. He filled the jug and poured some in. Still nothing. He poured more. While he was watching the pot, water seeped out of the bottom and onto the floor. He rushed over to the sink and grabbed a fistful of paper towels.
Still no coffee—and now there was water all over the counter, the floor, and his trousers. The only thing he had going for him this morning was that he’d gotten in so early, no one else was around to witness his stupidity.
“Having trouble there?”
Of course. Of course, it would be her. He turned to see Kira behind him, looking like she was trying very hard not to laugh. She was failing. Miserably.
“The coffeepot isn’t working,” he growled.
She bit her lip to hold back a chuckle. It reminded him of the way she’d looked at him after the wedding. It was mischievous … almost flirtatious. He swallowed. “Any advice?”
“We only use that one for meetings.” She stepped up to him. The soft smell of flowers swirled around her like fairy dust, and he had to suppress the urge to lean in and take a deep breath of her enchanting scent. She wore another frumpy skirt with a buttoned-up blouse, but he could make out the curves of her ass as she reached up to the top shelf of the cabinet to pull out a bag of coffee.
When she raised her eyebrows at him, he cleared his throat. “I’m sorry, what?”
“I said, that pot has a built-in grinder. You have to use whole beans.” She held up the bag and gave it a shake. She popped open the filter and shook her head. “It’s finicky. You didn’t have the filter seated right. The water had no place to go but the floor.”
“I figured that,” he said wryly.
“Here, I’ll show you how to do it. Although I’d recommend using that machine.” She pointed to one in the corner. “It’s a single-cup brew. Less work.”
Kira proceeded to show him how to work the coffeepot, but Jason wasn’t paying attention. He was enthralled by the blonde curls against the nape of her neck, and the freckles scattered across her nose. He was glad she had buttoned up her blouse; otherwise he’d probably be admiring her cleavage. But frumpy clothes or not, he knew she had fantastic tits.
He’d never forget the sight of her when she stripped off her dress in the hotel room, revealing skimpy lingerie. He wished he could redo that night … maybe this time with less booze.
The aroma of coffee filled the break room and he snapped back to reality. There was no use wishing for something that was never going to happen.
“If you need sugar, it’s in the top left cabinet.”
It seemed so inconsequential—knowing how to work the coffeepot—but it had nearly bested him. Kira, on the other hand, had no such problems. She seemed to manage everything in the office with grace and charm. Once again, he wondered if he was at all cut out for this gig his brother had handed him.
“Thanks,” he said. He was glad she wasn’t as prickly with him as she had been yesterday. Then again, he hadn’t exactly been at his best. “And I’m sorry for yesterday—I was an ass.”
She raised a blonde eyebrow. “Yeah, you were.”
“Well, you weren’t exactly Miss Welcoming, either,” he couldn’t help but retort. Then he almost slapped his forehead. Not helping!
Her cheeks flushed. “You really need to work on your apology skills. Because they suck.” She grabbed a mug and filled it with coffee. “I’ll be in my office if you need anything, cupcake.”
She stalked off, those magnificent hips swaying, and Jason groaned all over again. God, he wished they had slept together. Then maybe this hunger would have been sated and he could move on. This knowing what he’d almost had but didn’t was torture. He wanted to peel that blouse off, reveal those breasts, inhale her sweet scent as he tasted every inch of that soft body of hers.
Peter’s warning rang in his ears: That wasn’t a challenge.
But he couldn’t help but see Kira as a challenge. She was an intriguing puzzle. From the outside, she was buttoned up—literally and figuratively. But she was also the same woman who climbed fully dressed into a bathtub with him and drank champagne past midnight.
The morning rolled on, the staff trickling in between eight and nine o’clock. Jason met with Simon, Matt, and Peter pretty much all day, going over logistics and expectations. Although he was only meeting with the three of them, he still saw Kira constantly. She was everywhere. She was there every time they needed a file or a chart. She was there to order the catering and set everything out. She was there to figure out why Simon’s laptop wouldn’t boot up. She was even there when there was some strange squealing coming from the ceiling.
“I called facilities for the building,” she said to Simon before the third meeting. “They said it’s probably a pipe or something. Someone will be by to check it out tomorrow.”
“Great.” Simon shuffled through some papers and handed her a document. “Do you have the contract for the PowerSport deal for me to sign?”
She nodded, but Jason could see her jaw tighten as she did so. “I CC’ed you when it came in. I’ll print it out and put it on your desk.”
“Thank, Kira,” Simon said without looking up.
Jason caught the sigh as she left the office. Whatever that was about, he couldn’t help it right now. He had to focus on doing a good job. He wasn’t going to be Matt’s screw-up little brother forever. And he couldn’t accomplish that if he was seen lusting after staff.
Jason felt qualified for the job they wanted him to do. He had a master’s in finance, and he’d worked in small business loans at the bank for much of his career. The marketing side was new to him, but he could learn. But knowing all that didn’t stop the itch of self-doubt that stuck with him.
“I know there’s a lot to learn, but the staff here is capable.” Simon leaned back in his chair. “At the end of the week, Matt and Peter are going back to Chicago. After we have you set up, I’ll be taking some time off. I owe my new wife a proper honeymoon.”
Kira came back. “Just sign both copies where I have them highlighted and leave it all in this folder. I’ll mail over the executed contract this afternoon.”
After Kira left, Simon held up the paperwork. “This will be your first client. You’ll be in charge, from start to finish. Well, not quite from the start. We already pitched our concept and negotiated cos
t. You’re going to be in charge of executing the project.”
“Sounds like most of the hard work is already done,” Jason said.
“Not really. Sales usually promises the moon, creative doesn’t know what a budget is, and the clients are always nit-picky. Your job is to complete the project under budget and keep everyone happy.”
“You make it sound so easy,” Jason said, the doubt coming back.
Simon outlined what he would need to do and what was already done, and whenever Jason had a question, the answer was inevitably “Ask Kira.”
“Kira has a list of photographers.” “Kira is the one who set this up last time. Ask her.” “Kira has a spreadsheet somewhere—just email her for a copy.” “Kira can set up a meeting.”
Jason was exhausted by the time they were done going over the contract. He also knew he couldn’t avoid Kira even if he wanted to. She was the linchpin holding this office together. He didn’t have a hard time believing the office would struggle to do basic tasks if she were gone.
By five-thirty, the office was empty, with only Kira and Jason still working. After putting together a list, he walked to her desk.
“So, I’ve made a list of everything Simon said I could get from you,” he said, laying the list on her desk. “I also email you. But I wanted to make sure you’re the right person for these things. Any time I asked, Simon said you could handle it.”
She continued typing, not looking his way for even a moment. Finally, she turned her chair slightly to glance at the list. “So when do you need all of this by?” she said flatly.
He hesitated. What was an appropriate timeline? If he asked for it by next week, would he look like an asshole?
“Whenever you can?” he ventured. “The sooner the better, of course.”
She made a hmm noise in the back of her throat as she looked down the list. “I’ll get you most of these things tomorrow. The rest by Friday.” At his silence, she asked in an arch tone, “Unless you need it sooner?”
“No, that works. Thank you.” He was about to go back to his office, but something kept him from leaving. Were they really going to dance around this figurative elephant the entire time? “Look, I know we keep getting off on the wrong foot—”
“I have to finish up these emails,” she interrupted. She smiled, but it wasn’t a particularly warm smile. “Can we talk about this later?”
He knew that was code for “never,” but he wasn’t going to back off that easily. “Sometimes I wonder what happened to that woman I met at Simon’s wedding. You know, the one that hated weddings and threw caution to the wind. What happened to her? Because she was fun.”
A blush climbed up Kira’s cheeks. “We all do stupid things when we’re drunk,” she muttered.
“I like to think it shows a side of yourself you hide from the world. You, for instance, don’t let your hair down here. But with a little champagne, you can let yourself be loose. Enjoy life.”
She didn’t say anything. She was still staring at her monitor when she finally replied, “How philosophical of you.”
“Just saying.”
“Is there anything else I can do for you?” she said through her teeth.
He could think of a million things he’d like her to do. Not one was appropriate, or even PG for that matter. But he decided to keep that to himself.
“Oh, come on. I know there’s a little bit of that carefree woman somewhere under that frumpy skirt,” he said. “Tell me I’m wrong.”
“Well, you know what I think?” Before he could respond, she pointed a finger accusingly. “I think you’re a jerk-face no matter how sober you are. How’s that for letting loose?” She started typing rather furiously. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to get this done before I leave.”
He blinked. Then a grin split his face. “Did you just call me a jerk-face? Are we back in the fourth grade?”
She glared. “Just … Go. Away.”
“Fine, fine.” But he couldn’t help chuckling as he returned to his office.
Chapter 5
Be Ready to Live in a Fish Tank
Think your affair is a private matter? Think again. Once the news gets out, everyone will be watching you. Your romance will be the source of speculation and gossip. Your relationship may color everyone’s opinion of you regarding promotions, projects, and responsibilities.
* * *
After a lot of soul searching over the weekend, Kira went into the office on Monday with a new sense of purpose. Everyone thought of her as just the office manager, so that’s exactly what she was going to do. Let the guys fix their own problems; she had paperwork she’d been neglecting and office supplies to order.
Matt and Peter had already left to go back to the Chicago office and their growing families, leaving Simon to finish Jason’s orientation. Unfortunately, her newfound attitude was lost on them. The week went without either of them noticing she’d cut back. She told herself that it was because Simon had been so involved with Jason’s training that he was doing a lot of work himself.
But even as she told herself this, Kira couldn’t silence the little voice in the back of her head that told her she wasn't as important to the business as she’d thought. Imposter syndrome, check. Trying not to let those voices shake her resolve, she got all the information that Jason had asked for and then typed up all the projects she’d been handling.
“You’ve been doing all this?” Simon asked, looking over her calendars and project boards.
“For the last seven months,” she said, without adding “you idiot” like she desperately wanted to.
“All right then,” Simon said and turned to Jason. “It looks like we’ve got some work to do.”
But after just one week of Simon and Jason handling things, people had started to notice and were coming to her with questions about the status of their projects. Kira gently directed them to the new managing partner.
Jason was trying his best, but he was missing things. She knew her actions were petty and selfish. But nothing would ever change if she just kept doing the same thing—which was everything—she always did.
And by Friday, the guilt was starting to get to her. She’d proven her point, if to no one else but herself. Her contributions to the business were vital to the day-to-day running of the business. Next week, she’d take pity on him and take back some of the management work she’d been doing.
As Kira finished the agenda for next Monday’s meeting, Kim slipped into her office and closed the door.
“Is there something wrong, Kira? All of a sudden you’re not taking care of scheduling. No one is getting their work in on time. My department doesn’t have a clue as to what’s going on.”
“You should ask Simon and the new manager. They’ve taken over a lot of my work.”
“Simon and Jason?” Kim asked, a frown marring her brow. “Simon’s great with the big picture things and managing people, but he sucks at the details. And Jason …” Kim let out a long sigh. “I figured his office and title were for show. You’re not honestly telling me that they expect him to do your job.”
“Well, technically it wasn’t my job to begin with, I was just filling in.” Kira leaned back in her chair and stared up at the ceiling.
“Then why don’t they at least have you in there training him?”
“No one asked me and I didn’t offer. It’s better this way,” she said. At least it was better for her. “Jason’s learning to run the office, and he won’t learn how to do his job if I do the work for him.”
“Does this have something to do with what happened at Simon’s wedding?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Kira said, trying not to sound guilty, but she could feel the heat rising on her cheeks.
“You can’t play stupid with me. I was in the elevator when you left with Jason,” Kim insisted.
Of all the memories Kira had of that night, she’d hoped that awkward elevator ride with Kim and Cash had been some kind of dream. But of
course, it was just her luck that there were witnesses to her humiliation.
“It’s not what you think. This has nothing to do with that night,” she tried again.
“I knew it,” Kim said. “I knew Jason was going to be trouble. And now he’s working here, messing things up for you. I want to strangle Matt for hiring his brother.” Like a whirlwind, Kim spun and went for the door. “I can’t work like this. I’m going to say something to Simon and see if there’s something he can do about it.”
“Wait!” Kira shot out of her chair, feeling oddly protective of Jason for some reason.
“Why? You shouldn’t have to deal with this mess any more than I should,” Kim said. “I love Matt like family, and I understand why he’s doing this for his brother. But that doesn’t mean he should be put in charge.”
The truth was, it wasn’t Jason’s fault she was pissed off. That prize went to her unappreciative bosses. And while she was glad that Kim had her back, Kira didn’t need someone else to fight her battles. So, she swallowed her pride and told her friend the truth. “It’s not Jason's fault that I’m not doing my work. I thought they’d make me the managing partner, and I am angry that Simon only sees me as some glorified secretary.”
Kim let go of the doorknob and turned around, sympathy shining in her eyes. “Of course you should have gotten the job. You’ve been doing it for almost a year. You shouldn’t feel bad for wanting the title.”
“It’s not about getting some title,” Kira insisted. “I just want the recognition.”
Kim sighed and sat in the chair on the other side of the desk. “That’s the real problem. You do all this work without being asked. That means everyone depends on you without realizing it. And you never take credit for most of it.”